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Monday, December 28, 2015

As a meditation teacher I've found that one of the biggest obstacles to meditation is that people think it's too hard so they don't try it or they give up soon after trying. But meditation is really very SIMPLE and you can do it anywhere! But first we have to let go of our previous misconceptions about what meditation is.

Meditation is really just "present moment awareness." That's it! It's not sitting in some weird position with your phone turned off, listening to some new-agey music! It's BEING fully present in the moment!

This definition of meditation is quite liberating! So here's an idea to help you get started meditating.

Work on a Jigsaw Puzzle

Me meditating

What?! You may think I've lost it but bare with me. When you're working a jigsaw puzzle you usually are just concentrated on that task. You're not thinking about your work schedule tomorrow or that blunder you made in the past. You're totally present in the moment. Therefore, you're meditating!

I was working at my computer all day, writing and I just needed to let go and relax so I got out a puzzle. I was completely lost in it! I was joyous and relaxed. Not thinking about the future or the past.

I'd invite you to try it. Don't let meditation puzzle you!

*I will be offering more meditation tips on this blog in 2016 to show you how simple meditation can be! #meditation #meditate #howtomeditate, #meditationtechnique, #mindfulness

Friday, December 25, 2015

In January, I'll be offering another FREE online webinar. This one will be "DIY Non-Toxic Cleaning." Please sign up at this link to receive the date and time. Participants will receive a FREE ebook of recipes!

I'm tired of hearing if so and so had a gun when so and so attacked there would have been less casualties. Really? Don't you think if everyone had a gun, or even a handful of people had guns, that there would be more lives lost in the crossfire?

I'm tired of hearing about Second Amendment rights. What about my right to be safe from all the gun-toting people around me?

I'm tired of my uterus being more regulated than guns. How does that make any sense?

I'm tired of religious intolerance and racism/hatred.

I'm tired of so many things that I'm too tired to write all of them all down.

But I'm mostly tired of feeling helpless.

What can I do? I sign the petitions, I vote, I call or email my representatives, I give money to non-profit organizations working for change. And yet I still feel helpless.

So this week all I can do is light a candle expressing my frustration, saying "Enough!" I'm shining my one light into the dark abyss we live in, hoping for change.

Thursday, December 3, 2015

I find it interesting that after the Paris attacks everyone changed their FB profile picture to the Flag of France and yet, after the last several gun incidents in America things have been relatively quiet on Facebook?

Have we just become so immune to these acts of violence that we've come to accept them?

I don't know about you, but I feel helpless to do anything to change the current situation.

But when I feel helpless I look for ways to help.

So today I changed my FB profile picture to this candle above. It can be downloaded here:

Friday, November 27, 2015

Homemade lip balm with only 6 all natural ingredients. Make these in batches, they are great Christmas gifts. Find out how to make this and MORE at my DIY Non-Toxic Beauty/Personal Care Products webinar:

Friday, October 9, 2015

I had the pleasure of meeting Sophie when I was interviewing Sherry (with the CARE program of NM) for a project I was working on. I was deeply touched at how resilient animals are and how amazing this program is. The CARE Program provides shelter to animal victims of domestic violence.

Most shelters or temporary housing do NOT accept animals. And many women do not leave abusive relationships for fear of leaving their companion animals behind.

If you live in New Mexico, please consider being a foster parent. OR donate money to the CARE program (Companion Animal Rescue Effort)

Thursday, September 17, 2015

I'm coming to the realization that PERSISTENCE is the key that separates success from failure. It's not talent, intellect, athleticism, skill or beauty but rather persistence that pays off, in the end.

Sometimes when I feel like I want to quit I ask myself, "What if the 'goal' was literally right around the corner and I quit short of it?"

Here's a quote from Calvin Coolidge on persistence: "Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will
not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent." #persistence, #bepersistent

The products are delivered to your home and are all NON GMO! (Find out how you can get FREE shipping too!)

So the way Thrive Market works is it's a membership company (like Costco). You pay a yearly fee for the wholesale prices! (It's currently $59 for a year. But they do have a FREE one month trial period to see if you like it!)

But what I love, love, love about this company is that for EVERY membership paid for, they GIVE a FREE membership to a low income family! (I've already had two memberships given on my behalf since I joined)

So here are some things I love about Thrive Market:

You can get healthy, NON GMO, products for 25 - 50%

You can get FREE shipping (on orders over $49)

They are the largest retailer of NON GMO products!

For every membership paid for, they DONATE a membership to a low income family

This is a google hangout with the CEO's that I really enjoyed listening to. (There are some technical difficulties since it's their first hangout but the content is great)

So here's my game plan because I still love Costco--Next year I'm going to CANCEL our Executive membership ($110) and get the regular membership (approx $50) and continue with Thrive. That way I'll have BOTH memberships for what I've been paying for the Executive Membership!

What are some of your favorite Thrive Market Products? I'd love to hear from you!

*You can always boil water and let it cool instead of using distilled water. Also, I use less vinegar because my husband is vinegar adverse, but you can always use more. I like this ratio because it doesn't smell like vinegar.

I just did a one hour webinar with all of these DIY recipes and more. At the end of it, you can find out how to get your FREE ebook with all of the recipes. Check it out at:https://youtu.be/eczR2ci9sPs

I recently joined Thrive Market and I get my Castile Soap from there for a great discount. It's like a Costco membership but they have really great prices. And I get many food items there as well! You can check it out at: http://thrv.me/fd8Rzr

If you'd like to know more about the essential oils I use and how you can get them for wholesale prices, please contact me at lovemyoils15@gmail.com

Monday, July 6, 2015

Many years ago I ran 21 day meditation circles via teleconference. They were intended to help people develop the habit of meditation (ie: incorporate meditation into their daily life).

At this time I also did a series of videos to offer helpful tips. I have four simple tips to incorporate meditation into your daily life:

1) Don't Wait - Meditate (TM) - Convert your waiting time into meditating time. Next time you are waiting in line at the store, observe your breath. Next time you are on hold on the phone, feel the aliveness within. If you did this ONE simple tip you'd be meditating daily! #dontwaitmeditate

2) Pick a Daily Activity to Meditate: You can meditate any time throughout the day. In the 21 day circles (toward the end), I invite people to pick a daily activity to incorporate their meditation. Mine was emptying the dishwasher. Every time I empty the dishwasher, I would do it "mindful." I would feel the aliveness in my hands, observe my breath, etc. You can meditate while brushing your teeth in the morning. You can meditate while in the shower. Pick one activity and start meditating while doing that activity.

3) Have your Cat/Dog be your Meditation: Petting you cat can be your meditation. Be fully present with your cat while petting it. Walking your dog can be your meditation too!

4) Meditate while Driving! I know this one may sound crazy at first. And no I don't mean close your eyes and meditate. That's unsafe! This is more of a "mindful" activity and please use your judgement and always be alert while driving. But you can notice the aliveness in your hands as they grip the steering wheel. Or notice your breath while at a stop light.

These simple tips can help you meditate daily. #meditationtips, #meditation

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

The benefit of Lemon water! I love this article by Dr. Axe. I'm going to use one of his ideas of taking lemon juice and squeezing it into ice cube trays for a refreshing lemonade this summer!http://bit.ly/1T7Xylz
#lemonade, #draxe, #wellnesswednesday

Saturday, June 27, 2015

So excited! Today I received my first Thrive Market order in the mail and saved a lot of money. I tend to do all of my shopping at New Seasons and it gets expensive! Then I found out about Thrive market which is like Costco for natural products.

This is the Castile soap I use in all my natural cleaning and I bought it for less than $7.00

Find out how you can be registered in a drawing for $1,000 worth of free product and get 25% OFF your first order: http://thrv.me/fd8Rzr

I'll be going over the most common essential oils used in cleaning/disinfecting, a super easy shopping list of ALL the the ingredients needed for multiple household cleaning purposes AND you'll receive a FREE Ebook of the DIY cleaning recipes.

Please share with anyone you think might be interested and feel free to post questions in the comment section so I can be sure to answer them on the webinar!

Monday, June 22, 2015

Who is this webinar for? ANYONE interested in reducing their toxic load and DIY all-natural cleaning with essential oils. It's great for current oil users wanting to use their essential oils to create non-toxic cleaning products AND it's great someone NEW to essential oils to see the potential with essential oils.

Please share with anyone who might be interested. And post your questions on the Google Hangout below and I will try to answer them in the webinar and/or in the comment section. #reducetoxicload, #cleaningwithessentialoils, #DIYnaturalcleaning

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

“If the bee disappeared off the surface of the
globe, then man would have only four years of life left. No more bees,
no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man.”

Is he right? Well, he was a genius after all!

I was watching a show (I can't remember which one because we record so many) with Ed Begley, Jr on it (#loveedbeglyjr) and he was talking about saving the bees. The most current threat to them is a class of pesticides called Neonicotinoids. This is causing the death of bees at an ALARMING RATE! (All caps because it's alarming)But it's NOT hopeless; we CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! It's up to each and every one of us to do our part. And NO, you're not too little to make a difference.

Recently Home Depot and Lowe's, two of the biggest garden suppliers have agreed to use products from vendors that DO NOT contain the neonicotinoids. This is a huge VICTORY! And it was because of public campaigns. People tweeted, signed petitions, shared on Facebook and ended up making a huge difference.

But there's still work to do.

There's a campaign to get Ace hardware to do the same. You can find this campaign and more at: http://bit.ly/1enSyKT

(As of this posting I heard Ace hardware is now considering not using products/vendors that contain neonicotinoids, but it doesn't hurt to keep the pressure on)

Commit to one or two small things you can do to help the bees today! Sign up to get the action alerts at the website above, talk to your neighborhood about using natural insect repellants, sign the petition to Ace Hardware, etc. Little things make a difference.

And this is not JUST FOR THE BEES, people! It's for US TOO! We're dependent upon the bees! So PLEASE, FOR THE BEES!

You can make a difference. Play your part today! #beebold, #savethebees, #pleaseforthebees

Short video explanation (the last part is a sales promo for their book of scientific facts) of what the world would look like without bees.

Monday, June 15, 2015

I learned about this technique from the book Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. She talked about learning this technique in Bali, I believe, from a medicine man. He told her to sit and smile from within.

Smile from your liver, from your heart, from your stomach. Smile from every cell in your body!

I have to say this meditation gets me giddy! Which, I believe, is what meditation is about; feeling that bliss, joy within.

And, again, you don't have to sit to do this meditation, you can do it anywhere. Take a moment out of your day to just smile from within. I bet it will also lead to a smile on the outside too!

Saturday, June 13, 2015

Yesterday, I had a one-on-one consult with someone possibly interested in me teaching classes about reducing your toxic load by making your own natural cleaners/beauty products, so I took in a bunch of samples for her to experience. I had quite a bit of stuff to share with her! And that wasn't even ALL of my stuff!

In the box above I made all natural laundry detergent, stain remover, makeup remover, pit paste (deoderant), hand sanitizer, bath salts, multi purpose spray, toothpaste and my favorite night serum for anti-aging. Oh and I showed her the dryer balls I use and how I use them!

What I love about the recipes for these DIY cleaners is that many of them are MULTI PURPOSE. For example, the carpet freshener is also a great sink/tub cleaner! And the all purpose spray is also a glass cleaner! #reducetoxicload, #diycleaners, #diybeauty, #joinmeongoogle

Join me on June 24th for a Google hangout covering the supplies you need and recipes for DIY natural products with essential oils. Info below:

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Mark your calendars for June 24th at 3:00 pm PST for this FREE Google Hangout I will be doing on DIY Natural Cleaning Products with Essential Oils! On this hangout, you'll discover everything you need to create your own natural cleaning products, reduce your toxic load AND save money!

I'll go over the basic supplies you need ON HAND at all times, the primary essential oils and the RECIPES! Join me on this Google hangout. (For those of you unable to make it live, I will be posting the link of the replay later)

Monday, June 8, 2015

For Meditation Monday #meditationmonday, I thought I'd bring up the topic of using questions to bring our awareness inside. Meditation, plain and simple, is shifting your awareness from the outside (external) to the inside (internal).

Questions can be helpful pointers to make that shift. A good question is, "What's going on inside my body?" Ask yourself this anywhere; while you're enjoying a moment in the park, standing in line in the grocery store or at bed time. The important thing to remember is that the question is just a pointer. So once you ask the question, do not try to answer it, just notice where the question points. "What's going on inside my body?" Feel the aliveness inside your body. Notice the inner energy or the inner body (as Eckhart Tolle) calls it.

Practice this at moments throughout the day. If you continue to practice this it will get easier and easier to withdraw your focus from the external to the internal; the place of true peace and joy.

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Are you thinking about switching to a plant-based diet? If so, I want to direct you to some helpful resources. Many of you know that I switched to a plant-based diet because of health issues. When I did, I lost weight and am now almost back to the weight I was in college!

And I'm feeling better! I don't feel as bloated as I once did and my bad cholesterol and CRP (C Reactive Protein which is an inflammatory marker) all went down! AND I feel better about not harming animals or the environment. (I admit that some times I cheat and have cheese when eating out, but for the most part I try to maintain a plant-based diet.).

Here are some resources that helped me take the plunge. And then some cookbooks that made it easier and enjoyable. My husband even approves of most of the recipes!

MOVIES: I had a Netflix binge earlier this year and watched Vegucated, Forks Over Knives and Hungry for Change. I would highly recommend watching all three!

BOOKS: I read The China Study, which is an extensive study that will blow your mind and really make you think twice about dairy.

And WHOLE, by the same author (LINK below) This one's an updated version with much of the same information as the China Study. After reading this you'll want to get rid of frozen, packaged, processed food! (Which is a good thing)

COOKBOOKS: Okay, now here's where it gets fun! I have to admit I am not a cook! My husband did most of the cooking and he made lots of pasta and meat dishes! So when I made the switch I had to learn to cook AND learn to cook healthy stuff! I have THREE favorite cookbooks, links below. And they are even approved by my husband! All of them have high Amazon ratings too!

Oh She Glows! Cookbook. This is probably my favorite! She makes it really easy. And tells you what staples you need. And the recipes are yummy!

Monday, June 1, 2015

Are you a wellness professional looking to incorporate essential oils into your practice? If so, go to: http://www.dropsforwellness.com to get your FREE samples now! #wellnessprofessionals, #essentialoils, #wellnessprofessional

NOTE: While these samples are free, these oils are very precious to me. You must be willing to USE the samples AND allow me to follow up with you. Thanks for your understanding.

Here's part two of meditation techniques for Meditation Monday #meditationmonday. You can also watch the video below. (Part one is also included)

Last Monday, I mentioned the simple tip of "Observing your breath." Another tip is just to notice/feel the aliveness in a particular area of your body, say your right foot. Sometimes a question can be helpful. Eckhart Tolle uses this question "Without moving or touching my right foot, how do I know it exists?" Bring your attention/awareness to your right foot. Feel the aliveness. Hold your attention there. Then see if you can feel it in other areas of your body. #eckharttolle, #meditation, #meditationtips, #meditationtechniques

A technique used in Eastern Meditation practices is to ask "What's going on inside my body?" This can be another question that can help bring your awareness inside. The questions are just pointers. Then try to keep your attention/awareness focused on your inner body.

Again, you can do this meditation anywhere. While waiting in line at the grocery store, feel the aliveness in your feet. While petting your dog, feel the aliveness in your hands. Before bed, feel the aliveness in your body. (You can also scan your body which is another technique, just shifting your awareness to various areas of your body).

Lavender essential oil is widely know for its calming and relaxing properties. I mentioned in a previous post that Cesar Milan uses it to help calm dogs :) Lavender also helps support sleep. It's a great smell to add to homemade laundry detergents, bedding, etc. And it even can help the body defend against seasonal allergies.

But a big benefit of Lavender was discovered accidentally!

I was listening to an essential oil chemistry class by Dr. Robert Pappas (which I highly recommend if you're interested in that kind of stuff) and he mentioned that one of the big benefits of lavender: helping the body heal from burns was discovered by accident!

French chemist and scholar René-Maurice Gattefossé (who coined the term Aromatherapie) was working in his perfumery lab and there was an explosion. His hands were on fire and he dunked them in a nearby vat, which happened to be lavender. He later noted the increased healing time and that little to no scarring had occurred. In World War I, he actually treated soldiers with essential oils and is now known as the Father of Aromatherapy. #funfactfriday, #drpappas, #lavender, #essentialoils

If you're thinking about using essential oils, May is a great time to start. If you place a 100 PV order (roughly $100) you will earn $50 in FREE product credits.

Note: There's a $35 membership fee which qualifies you as a wholesale member and you'll receive 25% off the retail prices of ALL your essential oils for the entire year. (I like to think of it as a Costco membership, only better - #betterthancostco)

This $50 FREE product credits ends May 31st. If you have questions or would like to know more, email me at lovemyoils15@gmail.com